15 Terrifying Animals You'll Be Glad Don't Exist Anymore

1. Andrewsarchus

While the Andrewsarchus may have a cute name, it was anything but cute. The Andrewsarchus is considered the world’s largest predatory mammal. Its head alone was three-feet long. Paleontologists only have a single skull to base their ideas of the Andrewsarchus’ appearance on. The large skull was discovered in Mongolia in 1923. The animal lived about 35 to 45 million years ago during the Eocene epoch.

2. Sarcosuchus

This predator is also referred to as the “Super Croc,” and for good reason. The sarcosuchus was almost 40-feet-long, which is twice the size of the largest crocodile currently in existence. Steve Irwin certainly would have had a field day with this massive croc, which weighed up to eight metric tons!

3. Livyatan

The Livyatan Melvillei was named after the biblical sea monster, the Leviathan, and Herman Melville, author ofMoby Dick. Between 13.5 and 17.5 meters in length, the Livyatan was about the size of today’s sperm whale, however, it was a much more formidable predator. In fact, their teeth are considered the largest known teeth for eating. They even surpassed the tooth length of the megalodon shark. Both the Livyatan and the Megalodon lived in the Miocene Epoch, about 13 million years ago. There is evidence to suggest that the two predators even competed for food.

4. Megalodon

You thought Jaws was bad? Try going for a dip in the ocean knowing the megalodon may be lurking somewhere in the waters. The Megalodon averaged about 52-feet long, with scientists agreeing that it could get up to 60 feet in length. That is three times larger than the great white shark!

5. Megapiranha

If Piranhas had a nickname, it should be “nightmare fish.” But the megapiranha is a nightmare fish that will haunt your dreams worse than Freddy Krueger. This giant piranha was up to a meter long! That’s a three-foot long death fish, people! This scary fish was found in the rivers of South America (where present day piranhas are found) during the Miocene Epoch.

6. Pulmonoscorpius

Scorpions are already terrifying on their own, now imagine a scorpion that measured about two feet in length? Yep, that’s the pulmonoscorpius. This 28-inch long arthropod was found during the Carboniferous period during the late Paleozoic, about 300 million years ago. Fossils of this monster were found in what is modern-day Scotland.

7. Cameroceras

The cameroceras is considered to be one of the largest cephalopods to ever exist. Cephalopods are a type of mollusk that includes octopi and squids. The cameroceras’ shell measured an impressive six meters long. This giant squid lived during the Ordovician period, about 440 million years ago.

8. Helicoprion

This terrifying beast is one of the strangest sharks in history. The helicoprion had a monstrous 260 degree spiral set of teeth, giving it the nickname “Buzzsaw Killer.” Because the shark was made up of mostly cartilage, the only fossil evidence we have is of its strange set of chompers. However, scientists believe this 290 million year old monster was between 30 and 40 feet long.

9. Gigantopithecus

Gigantopithecus was probably where we got our idea of King Kong from. This giant ape was about 10 feet tall and weighed just over a ton. This ancient primate is the largest ape that ever lived. He was found in what is now Southern China and thrived there for about six to nine million years. The ape went extinct about 100,000 years ago.

10. Titanoboa

The titanoboa makes the anaconda look like a friendly garden snake. This monster was a colossal predator measuring about 48 feet long and weighing 2,500 pounds. Its fossil was discovered not too long ago in what today is northern Colombia. It lived about 58 million years ago.

11. Phorusrhacidae

These massive creatures were also known as terror birds. They were about nine-feet tall and weighed about 300 pounds. They lived during the Pliocene era, about four million years ago. They would use their massive beaks to crush their prey, which were typically small mammals.

12. Mosasaurus

The mosasaur was the giant aquatic reptile recently featured in Jurassic World (although the movie exaggerated its characteristics).These gigantic beasts measured about 46-50 feet long. They lived during the Cretaceous period about 90 million years ago. Today, their closest living relatives are the Komodo dragon.

13. Thalattoarchon

This guy may look like a dolphin, but it certainly didn’t have a dolphin’s pleasant demeanor. This monster is referred to as the “T. Rex of the Seas,” and it lived about 244 million years ago. This creature was about 28 feet long. Its fossils were found in 2008 in a mountain range in Nevada.

14. Megatherium

Modern-day sloths are cute and cuddly, but their ancient ancestors were anything but. The megatherium, which literally means “giant beast,” looked like a bear and was about the size of an elephant. These guys looked intimidating, but they were herbivores. They lived during the Ice Age in North America, and there is some fossil evidence to indicate that they were probably part of the diet of early Homo Sapiens.

15. Kaprosuchus

These bizarre looking creatures were also referred to as the “Boar Crocodile.” It had about three sets of teeth, and it used its snout like a battering ram. This beast went extinct about 66 million years ago with a bunch of the other dinosaurs. Its fossils were found in what today is modern-day Niger.

15 Terrifying Animals You'll Be Glad Don't Exist Anymore

1. Andrewsarchus

While the Andrewsarchus may have a cute name, it was anything but cute. The Andrewsarchus is considered the world’s largest predatory mammal. Its head alone was three-feet long. Paleontologists only have a single skull to base their ideas of the Andrewsarchus’ appearance on. The large skull was discovered in Mongolia in 1923. The animal lived about 35 to 45 million years ago during the Eocene epoch.

2. Sarcosuchus

This predator is also referred to as the “Super Croc,” and for good reason. The sarcosuchus was almost 40-feet-long, which is twice the size of the largest crocodile currently in existence. Steve Irwin certainly would have had a field day with this massive croc, which weighed up to eight metric tons!

3. Livyatan

The Livyatan Melvillei was named after the biblical sea monster, the Leviathan, and Herman Melville, author ofMoby Dick. Between 13.5 and 17.5 meters in length, the Livyatan was about the size of today’s sperm whale, however, it was a much more formidable predator. In fact, their teeth are considered the largest known teeth for eating. They even surpassed the tooth length of the megalodon shark. Both the Livyatan and the Megalodon lived in the Miocene Epoch, about 13 million years ago. There is evidence to suggest that the two predators even competed for food.

4. Megalodon

You thought Jaws was bad? Try going for a dip in the ocean knowing the megalodon may be lurking somewhere in the waters. The Megalodon averaged about 52-feet long, with scientists agreeing that it could get up to 60 feet in length. That is three times larger than the great white shark!

15 Terrifying Animals You'll Be Glad Don't Exist Anymore

1. Andrewsarchus

While the Andrewsarchus may have a cute name, it was anything but cute. The Andrewsarchus is considered the world’s largest predatory mammal. Its head alone was three-feet long. Paleontologists only have a single skull to base their ideas of the Andrewsarchus’ appearance on. The large skull was discovered in Mongolia in 1923. The animal lived about 35 to 45 million years ago during the Eocene epoch.

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2. Sarcosuchus

This predator is also referred to as the “Super Croc,” and for good reason. The sarcosuchus was almost 40-feet-long, which is twice the size of the largest crocodile currently in existence. Steve Irwin certainly would have had a field day with this massive croc, which weighed up to eight metric tons!

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3. Livyatan

The Livyatan Melvillei was named after the biblical sea monster, the Leviathan, and Herman Melville, author ofMoby Dick. Between 13.5 and 17.5 meters in length, the Livyatan was about the size of today’s sperm whale, however, it was a much more formidable predator. In fact, their teeth are considered the largest known teeth for eating. They even surpassed the tooth length of the megalodon shark. Both the Livyatan and the Megalodon lived in the Miocene Epoch, about 13 million years ago. There is evidence to suggest that the two predators even competed for food.

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4. Megalodon

You thought Jaws was bad? Try going for a dip in the ocean knowing the megalodon may be lurking somewhere in the waters. The Megalodon averaged about 52-feet long, with scientists agreeing that it could get up to 60 feet in length. That is three times larger than the great white shark!

15 Terrifying Animals You'll Be Glad Don't Exist Anymore

1. Andrewsarchus

While the Andrewsarchus may have a cute name, it was anything but cute. The Andrewsarchus is considered the world’s largest predatory mammal. Its head alone was three-feet long. Paleontologists only have a single skull to base their ideas of the Andrewsarchus’ appearance on. The large skull was discovered in Mongolia in 1923. The animal lived about 35 to 45 million years ago during the Eocene epoch.

2. Sarcosuchus

This predator is also referred to as the “Super Croc,” and for good reason. The sarcosuchus was almost 40-feet-long, which is twice the size of the largest crocodile currently in existence. Steve Irwin certainly would have had a field day with this massive croc, which weighed up to eight metric tons!

3. Livyatan

The Livyatan Melvillei was named after the biblical sea monster, the Leviathan, and Herman Melville, author ofMoby Dick. Between 13.5 and 17.5 meters in length, the Livyatan was about the size of today’s sperm whale, however, it was a much more formidable predator. In fact, their teeth are considered the largest known teeth for eating. They even surpassed the tooth length of the megalodon shark. Both the Livyatan and the Megalodon lived in the Miocene Epoch, about 13 million years ago. There is evidence to suggest that the two predators even competed for food.

4. Megalodon

You thought Jaws was bad? Try going for a dip in the ocean knowing the megalodon may be lurking somewhere in the waters. The Megalodon averaged about 52-feet long, with scientists agreeing that it could get up to 60 feet in length. That is three times larger than the great white shark!

5. Megapiranha

If Piranhas had a nickname, it should be “nightmare fish.” But the megapiranha is a nightmare fish that will haunt your dreams worse than Freddy Krueger. This giant piranha was up to a meter long! That’s a three-foot long death fish, people! This scary fish was found in the rivers of South America (where present day piranhas are found) during the Miocene Epoch.

6. Pulmonoscorpius

Scorpions are already terrifying on their own, now imagine a scorpion that measured about two feet in length? Yep, that’s the pulmonoscorpius. This 28-inch long arthropod was found during the Carboniferous period during the late Paleozoic, about 300 million years ago. Fossils of this monster were found in what is modern-day Scotland.

7. Cameroceras

The cameroceras is considered to be one of the largest cephalopods to ever exist. Cephalopods are a type of mollusk that includes octopi and squids. The cameroceras’ shell measured an impressive six meters long. This giant squid lived during the Ordovician period, about 440 million years ago.

8. Helicoprion

This terrifying beast is one of the strangest sharks in history. The helicoprion had a monstrous 260 degree spiral set of teeth, giving it the nickname “Buzzsaw Killer.” Because the shark was made up of mostly cartilage, the only fossil evidence we have is of its strange set of chompers. However, scientists believe this 290 million year old monster was between 30 and 40 feet long.

9. Gigantopithecus

Gigantopithecus was probably where we got our idea of King Kong from. This giant ape was about 10 feet tall and weighed just over a ton. This ancient primate is the largest ape that ever lived. He was found in what is now Southern China and thrived there for about six to nine million years. The ape went extinct about 100,000 years ago.

10. Titanoboa

The titanoboa makes the anaconda look like a friendly garden snake. This monster was a colossal predator measuring about 48 feet long and weighing 2,500 pounds. Its fossil was discovered not too long ago in what today is northern Colombia. It lived about 58 million years ago.

11. Phorusrhacidae

These massive creatures were also known as terror birds. They were about nine-feet tall and weighed about 300 pounds. They lived during the Pliocene era, about four million years ago. They would use their massive beaks to crush their prey, which were typically small mammals.

12. Mosasaurus

The mosasaur was the giant aquatic reptile recently featured in Jurassic World (although the movie exaggerated its characteristics).These gigantic beasts measured about 46-50 feet long. They lived during the Cretaceous period about 90 million years ago. Today, their closest living relatives are the Komodo dragon.

13. Thalattoarchon

This guy may look like a dolphin, but it certainly didn’t have a dolphin’s pleasant demeanor. This monster is referred to as the “T. Rex of the Seas,” and it lived about 244 million years ago. This creature was about 28 feet long. Its fossils were found in 2008 in a mountain range in Nevada.

14. Megatherium

Modern-day sloths are cute and cuddly, but their ancient ancestors were anything but. The megatherium, which literally means “giant beast,” looked like a bear and was about the size of an elephant. These guys looked intimidating, but they were herbivores. They lived during the Ice Age in North America, and there is some fossil evidence to indicate that they were probably part of the diet of early Homo Sapiens.

15. Kaprosuchus

These bizarre looking creatures were also referred to as the “Boar Crocodile.” It had about three sets of teeth, and it used its snout like a battering ram. This beast went extinct about 66 million years ago with a bunch of the other dinosaurs. Its fossils were found in what today is modern-day Niger.